Tag: Style

Most women use some form of makeup nearly everyday of their lives. Unfortunately, these products are full of potentially harmful chemicals.

It wasn’t that long ago that makeup was just another instinctual part of my daily routine, but I recently became more informed about the potentially harmful chemicals that go into everything from foundation to lipstick. This made me re-think what I put on my face each morning.

Toxic ingredients like parabens and phthalates have been shown to cause damage to our vital organs in a wide variety of studies. So, if you are looking for safer alternatives, then check out this list I have compiled of safe makeups.

Getting Started

The hunt for safer makeup was on after I learned about the toxic chemicals companies often hide in ingredients like “fragrance”. To make sure that I was actually choosing safer alternatives, I turned to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) with their catalog of over 60,000 products each ranked with a hazard score from 1 to 10.

Even if nothing on this list appeals to you, I urge you to look at their catalog an find safe products for your everyday routine.

RMS Beauty

RMS develops a broad range of makeups without adding in ingredients that damage the body’s vital systems. From their line, I picked out a raw coconut cream to act as a moisturizer, a colorless un-powder, and an un-coverup to take care of some of my essentials. I also found a wonderful blush along with a bronzed taupe eye shadow that I’ve fallen in love with.

Dr. Bronner

Since the toxic conspiracy leads all the way into bath and body products, I decided to find some of those as well. After all, my makeup routine does start with a good cleaning.

I was able to purchase a bar of castile soap, but I ended up going with the rose castile liquid soap instead because I liked the smell. I even found a hand sanitizer from Dr. Bronner that fits right in my purse! Unfortunately, I did not find any shampoo or conditioner from this line.

Juice Beauty

When it comes to making myself look 20 again, there are a few things I simply cannot do without. Fortunately, Juicy Beauty offers an in-depth line of skin care products that aren’t half as corny as their name sounds.

The first item I put into my online shopping cart was a green apple Brightening Gel Cleanser, immediately followed by algae mask for those home spa days. Next up was a brightening eye cream that featured the same green apple smell and a booster serum to help make full use of my moisturizer. Last, but in no way least, I picked up a sensitive peel to exfoliate my skin.

All of that put me over my spending limit for the month, so I’ll be back with more recommendations for other products when I can make another purchase. It was well worth the investment though, and I feel a lot better knowing my body isn’t being affected by toxic chemicals. What products have you swapped out in your routine?

Cosmetics and makeup might make us look beautiful, but at what cost to our well-being?

It’s no secret that switching to a plant-based diet, swapping out harsh cleaning products for natural ones, and changing out synthetic skin care products for organic ones are all part of changing your life for the better. However, one of the easiest to overlook areas is the makeup we ladies apply nearly every day! From the mascara that takes your eyelashes to a whole new level to the foundation that seems to erase time, modern beauty products can have a high cost to your health.

The FDA

Currently, the FDA does not require cosmetic companies to conduct safety assessments on their products. Toxic chemicals are labeled in disguise as “fragrance” or nearly impossible to pronounce names like methylisothiazolinone.

The products sitting on your vanity or bathroom sink may or may not contain these toxins, but how would you know? It’s not like makeup companies warn anyone about what they put into their products. Here are some of the awful chemicals I found out were in my beauty products.

Phthalates

These nasty toxins mimic estrogen, effectively disrupting the endocrine system. They can lead to reproductive issues including abnormalities in unborn babies and premature delivery.

You can find phthalates in everything from deodorant to nail polish and scented lip balm under the ingredient “fragrance”. Since fragrances are considered trade secrets by makeup companies, they get away with not having to tell us what lies inside of them.

Lead

This one hasn’t been an issue since lead paint the 50’s, right? I wish. The truth is that lead can still be found in foundations, lipsticks, and even whitening toothpastes!

The worst part is that we as a nation know lead is bad for us. It leads to miscarriage, delays puberty, and is poisonous when ingested. You won’t find it any ingredient list, but over 400 popular brands were found to be contaminated with it nonetheless.

Formaldehyde Releasing Preservatives

Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Researchers, as well as the International Agency for Research on Cancer. You will most likely find this toxic gas resulting from the breakdown of Quaternium-15.

Q-15 is found in everything from pressed powders to eyeliners. While a company could choose rosemary, tea tree oil, or even vitamin E instead, they stick to this tried-and-true poison instead.

Just the Tip of the Iceberg

I could get into parabens, butylated compounds like BHT and BHA, and PEG compounds, but I think it’s more important to talk about safe alternatives for a moment. While nothing is ever 100% toxin free, there are products you can buy to decrease your exposure risk.

Just like with food, look for organic ingredients like almond oil, rice, and hemp. There are organic, cruelty free, toxic free, and vegan-friendly alternatives out there. What would you recommend?